Calm Before The Storm
by Matatabi-chan
Summary: REWRITTEN! Konoha and their allies stand across the battle field from their enemies the night before a battle. Naruto is uneasy as thoughts of the coming death toll filter in his head, but Sakura is there to calm his ever running mind. Does not follow the manga nor the anime.


I do not own Naruto or the characters!

Naruto stood looking out at the enemy camp with its fires blazing and men ready for the coming battle. It was the eve of the battle heard all over the ninja world; the battle between the masked man, his minions and Naruto, Konoha. He stood looking out wondering if it would have been different if his parents had not died eighteen years before or if Jiriaya had beaten pain and survived. At the age of eighteen, he was leading the troops into battle and was considered the most powerful ninja in the world with the Hokages at the command center calling the shots. Suddenly he heard someone walk up behind him, making him turn to see Sakura and Shikamaru.

"Everyone is set and ready to go." Shikamaru informed his friend. "It may not be a good day tomorrow but in the end we have a greater chance to win." Naruto gave a nod and looked at the silent camp as everyone sat wondering what was going to happen to them come morning.

Naruto nodded. "Let granny and Kakashi know everyone is in place." He told Shikamaru who took off to do as he was asked. Naruto looked at Sakura. "Medical stations set up and ready?"

Sakura gave a soft sigh before she spoke. "Yeah, everything is ready." She turned and looked where the enemy sat across the field as Naruto sighed heavily. "Everything will be alright. Not one of us will let any of them get away." She said putting her hand on his shoulder, slightly surprised to feel him relax slightly under her touch.

"I know I just don't like having everyone putting their lives on the line when I'm the only one they all want." He told her looking at her with his bright blue eyes. "I don't want to lose anyone else."

"We put our lives on the line because you are our friend and would do the same if not more for us. Besides we've seen how skilled you are in the last two years." She smiled making him smirk back at her. He felt a moment of peace seeing that smile.

"This war Madara has put together may very well take everyone and thing away from me. I don't want to stand here tomorrow night and see all of my friends and everyone who risked their lives laying in a bloody mess." Sakura moved closer to him without realizing how close she was actually getting until she heard her inner voice.

'Show him you aren't leaving.'

Sakura asked stopping herself. 'What am I thinking?'

'You know how to ease his mind.'

'What are you talking about?'

'You know very well what I'm talking about. You know he's not just worried about losing people in the battle.'

'I don't-.'

'You do so. You've thought about Naruto many times. Just admit you love him and get on with it!'

'I don't love him... do I?'

'Think back over the years. Of course you do!'

Sakura stood looking at the camp when she heard Naruto calling her name. "Sakura-Chan, you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." She said looking at his worried blue eyes. She had always had a hard time pulling herself from the depths, though she would never admit that aloud. His loving nature always making her feels better, along with a bright chakra that always made her feel warm and... Sakura stopped and looked back at Naruto as he looked at his own camp. 'I... could I really have fallen for him?'

'You see?' Her inner voice said making her eyes go slightly wider. Naruto took a deep breath and turned to Sakura.

"You should get some sleep." Sakura nodded and turned to leave before hearing Naruto again. "Sakura-Chan, be careful tomorrow. I know you are able to take care of yourself but... Just make sure you're alright at the end of this. I can't lose anyone else I care for." Sakura watched him turn and take off quickly, leaving her trying to sort out what he had just said in her mind.

'I told you.'

'Shut up already!'

'Are you just going to stand here or are you going to go after him and settle his pained mind before he is distracted in the middle of the battle and killed?' Sakura took off following the feel of Naruto's chakra, finding him sitting at the tree line.

"Naruto, before we have to charge in and not know what will happen..." She said walking over to him. "I want you to know that no matter what you'll never have to worry about me not being here. I'll always be beside you. I'm not going anywhere." Naruto stood slightly confused as he listened to what she had to say.

"Sakura-chan..."

"Naruto, let me finish I need to tell you this. Over the last few years, I've become so close to you; the close friendship we have... I think it's turned into something else... Naruto I will never leave you because..." She trailed off taking a deep breath. "I love you, Naruto." Naruto stood stunned as he processed what she had just admitted to him.

"I love you too Sakura-chan." He whispered as he unconsciously moved closer to her. "Sakura-Chan, promise me that you'll make it through this."

"Naruto, I promise that all of us will make it through and we can live our lives as the ninja's we've always wanted to be. Make sure you make it through this too, promise me you won't take any stupid risks that you don't need to." Naruto smiled and nodded. He could not believe what was happening.

"Sakura, why are you saying this all of a sudden? I'm happy but we're about to go into war. This isn't like the last time is it?" He wondered remembering when he had gone to the Hokage summit and she had confessed feeling of love that weren't true.

Sakura shook her head. "No. Naruto I guess I never realized what I was feeling when I was round you I really do have feelings for you. I do love you. I don't want to see you so upset before this; I want you to be happy, even though you have to go into a rough battle." She explained. Naruto looked at her a minute before he ran his hand against her cheek and watched as she leaned into his touch.

"You really mean it?" He asked as he looked down at her. He could feel his chest constrict as she smiled and gave a nod. Naruto leaned down giving her a gentle, loving kiss and felt her melt against him. Sakura pulled back and looked up at him with her loving green eyes before glancing at the soon to be bloodied battlefield. Naruto saw the sadness in her eyes as she looked back at him.

"We should get some sleep while it's calm. After tomorrow there will be no relaxing until this war is over." Naruto nodded and watched as she grabbed his hand and pulled him to a tree by the camp where she sat and pulled him down. "Get some sleep Naruto."

"I will." He reassured her as she lay down beside him with her head in his lap as he rested against the trunk of the tree and the two slowly dozed off, even if it was restless and light because of the worries of the coming day.

Naruto took a slow deep breath as the sky began to lighten. He looked around to see the others starting to rouse in the camp before he saw Sakura sleeping next to him with her head still resting on his lap. He smiled as he remembered her telling him she loved him before they relaxed for some sleep before the battle. His smile fell as quickly as it formed as he remembered the battle.

Slowly he reached out to gently wake her. "Sakura-chan. Sakura-chan it's time to wake up." He saw her green eyes open slowly as she looked up at him. "It's time." He told her making her sit up, noticing the movement in the camp as the sun made its way into the sky. She watched as he stood up and went out to meet his friends and those he was leading into battle.

"Everyone's ready to move." Choji said as he and the other friends moved to the front of the group.

"Shikamaru, start sending the groups out and get them around as best they can. Once they're in place we'll take a group in. We're going to need to have the sealers ready to go." He looked at Hinata who nodded. "And the medical should be prepared for the injured." He looked at Sakura who gave a nod. The others nodded as they broke up into their groups and started preparing for their mission.

"Naruto." Sakura said making him look at her. "Everything will turn out fine. You'll see."

"It's so calm right now. It's so quiet and calm but in only a few minutes there will be so much noise and chaos." Naruto shook his head.

Sakura moved closer to him as she set her hand on his arm and gave him one of her loving smiles she never realized she used just for him. "You're going to save the world. You're the best ninja I know and the only one who can hold himself together in the calm before going to war at such a young age. You really are amazing, and even after this storm, you'll still be that amazing ninja."

"Sakura-chan…" He trailed off as he reached out gently touching the side of her face. "Be careful."

"I will, you better be careful too. You have to take me out on a date when this is over so you better be okay." She smiled as his signature goofy grin pulled at his lips

Naruto turned as Sakura started getting the remaining troops and medical ninjas ready for the upcoming battle. Naruto ran through the area trying to find what he could to make sure the plan was getting set. The storm was breaking and the calm before was soon ending. Naruto prayed he and the others would make it through to see the sun behind the clouds.


End file.
